Sliding caster



S. M. CHILD.

SLIDING CASTER. APPLICATION men OCT-13.1919.

Patented Mar. 2,1920.

' [A /ENTER UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STANTON M. CHILD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SLIDING CASTER.

Application filed October 13, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STANTON M. CHILD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Sliding Casters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap-pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to foot swivels or casters for the lower ends of furniture legs, and is particularly intended for use on the legs of chairs' The primary object of my invention is the provision of a sliding caster of the class described, which is provided with a comparatively large substantially flat or convexed bearing member for contact with the floor and adapted to be attached to a leg in a manner to prevent a tilting of the leg in any direction from a vertical without tilting or disturbing the position of the bearing member on the floor, thereby preventing a marring of fine or polished floors on which disposed, which would otherwise be apt to occur by the tilting action.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and while. in its broader aspect, it is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a chair provided with mv swivel means and in tilting position on the floor. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of a leg in vertical position and of a ca ter attached thereto, and Fig. 3 is a similar view thereof with the caster slightly modified.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a leg of an article of furniture. which. in the present instance. is a chair of the metal type, the legs being of channel form. The swivel means embodying the invention comprises a foot bearing member 2 having a comparatively large bottom surface for resting on a floor or other support, which surface may be fiat but is preferably slightly conveXed, as illustrated. The member 2, in the present instance, is composed of upper and lower cupelike sections 3 and 4, which fit one Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

Serial No. 3201241.

within the other with their upper ends toward each other and with their sides coacting to retain the parts in assembled relation. The upper section 3 has its top preferably slightly outwardly convexed and provided with a central opening 5 through which the cylindrical reduced outer end or neck portion 6 of a ferrule member 7 is loosely projected for rotary and tilting and limited axial movements relative to the bearing member 2, the upper enlarged end of the ferrule 7 being fitted over tne lower end of the leg 1 and securely fixed thereto by contraction, crimping, welding or in any other suitable manner. I

A bearing head 8. in the present instance of semi-spherical form, is disposed at the outer end of the ferrule neck or reduced portion 6 of the ferrule to receive the downward thrust of the bearing member 2. The

bearing head 8 is carried by the ferrule 7 and for such purpose has a stem 9 fitting into and projecting up through the reduced portion 6 of the ferrule and upset or otherwise suitably fashioned at its upper end to shoulder over the inner shoulder end of the ferrule portion 6 to retain the bearing head and ferrule in assembled relation. It is preferable to provide the bearing member 2 with an interior bottom plate 10 to serve as a wear or thrust plate for the bearing head 8.

The reduced portion 6 of the ferrule 7 is of greater length than the length of the opening 5 to permit an axial as well as a rocking movement of the ferrule therein, and when the ferrule is rocked relative to the foot bearing member 2. the shoulder formed by the inwardly tapering portion 11 of the ferrule bears on the top of the member 2. as is evident.

It is evident with this form of caster that the attached leg may be tilted a considerable di tance in either direction from a vertical without disturbing the flat or normal position of the bearing member 2 on a floor or other supporting surface thus preventing the marring action which would o cur if the bearing member 2 were tilted with the leg so as to rock it upon an edge, which edge would cut into or more or less indent the surface upon which it was resting.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 3 is the same as that of Fig. 2 except that the bottom section of the foot bearing member fits into instead of without the upper section of such member. In this figure the bearing member is designated 2 and the upper and lower cup sections thereof 3 and 4? respectively.

I wish it understood that my invention 13 not limited to any specific co11struction,'ar rangement or form of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

l. A caster comprising a hollow bearing member having a comparatively broad bottom surface and an opening in its top, a leg attaching ferrule having a reduced outer end portion for loosely projecting into said opening and provided with a bearing head at its end for thrust bearing contact with the inner side of the bearing member bot tom, said ferrule being permitted to have limited axial and rocking movements relative to the bearing member.

2. In a caster, a' hollow foot bearing mem her having a comparatively broad bottom bearing surface and a centrally disposed opening in its top, a ferrule for attaching to a leg end and having its lower end reduced 'and projected through said opening for limited axial and rocking movements therein, said ferrule havlng a shoulder at the inner end of its reduced portion for coaction with the top of the bearing member, and a bearing head carried by the reduced end of the ferrule within the bearing member for thrust contact with the bottom of said member.

3. In a caster, a foot bearing member composed of top and bottom cup-like sections fitted one within the other with their closed ends at opposite ends of the bearing member, the upper section having a central opening, a leg attaching ferrule having a reduced lower end portion projecting into said opening for limited rocking movements therein and having spaced portions in thrust contact with the bearing member.

4. In a caster, a foot'bearing member composed of top and bottom cup-like sections fitted one within the other with their closed ends at opposite ends of the bearing member, the upper section having a central opening, a leg attaching ferrule having a reduced lower end portion projected into said opening for limited rocking movements therein, said ferrule having a thrust shoulder for rocking contact with the top of the bearing member and having a convexed bearing portion at its lower end for thrust contact with the inner side of the bearing member bottom.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

STANTON M. CHILD. 

